Ecotourism: wave of the future.

Ecotourism is a multifaceted science. It incorporates the vast tourism industry with the environment and is more interested in educating the tourist than in earning the maximum profit. While the word "ecotourism" seems to be rather self-explanatory, it is actually a confusing term with numerous definitions. In attempting to define ecotourism, one must first recognize the difference between tourism and ecotourism.

There exists a case of stewardship for the land and indigenous people in ecotourism; it is not about exploiting the local people or their culture, or even changing it in order to accommodate the tourist or visitor. Instead, ecotourism is about preserving the natural environment and giving the locals fair employment. Ecotourism empowers the local population to take an active role in environmental programs. In turn, the ecotourist must "take only pictures and leave only footprints" on the environment that he or she explores. The visitor has a social responsibility to the people in ecotourism. The tourism industry has destroyed numerous irreplaceable environmental areas, such as coral reefs and forests, because of the tourist's demand for modern luxuries when traveling. The ecotourist recognizes the adverse effects of such tourism and minimizes or eliminates any such consequences on the natural areas he or she uses.

Tourism means revenue; it is big business and brings money that can be multiplied many times over into communities. In so many cases, the business loses sight of important principles because of the desire to increase revenue. Ecotourism is also concerned with making money, but only in an environmentally friendly manner. Proceeds of the ecotourism enterprise go back into the community in the area's land management and conservation, as well as programs such as alternative-energy research. In ecotourism, it is more important to educate the tourist than to make a profit.

Ecotourism provides a unique opportunity to educate the tourist in a natural environment. Hands-on activities, informative displays, and educational seminars offer the visitor a better understanding of the local environment. Ecotourism, by eliminating the "wear and tear" on a site that conventional tourism encompasses, is concerned with the preservation of such natural habitats and archeological areas. Furthermore, it offers the opportunity for people to view remarkable natural wonders without worrying about damaging the area.

Not only is ecotourism not concerned with bringing in throngs of tourists, it would be defeating the purpose to bring mass tourism to natural areas. Ecotourism, instead, offers purposeful travel to natural areas for a limited number of tourists. As previously mentioned, an ecotourist must be a friend to the environment, so the relatively few people who are willing to sacrifice "luxury" for the environmentally friendly vacation are candidates for the ecotourism industry.

The Challenges of Successful Ecotourism

As mentioned, the benefits of ecotourism are becoming increasingly attractive. However, planners and managers must also face the problems that may arise. These issues tend to be complex. Ecotourism, by its very nature, builds up expectations and raises the risk of hit-and-run tourism; this is described as an influx of nature-lovers and culture-addicts to the latest wild spot, followed by its abandonment once discovered and degraded. Moreover, ecotourism attractions can be located in the most remote and rural areas. Therefore, ancient cultures and economies may be harmed or disrupted. These challenges, among others, need to be met. Planners and managers must be prepared and educated on the impacts of tourism. Their optimal strategy must involve minimizing these costs while maximizing the many bene fits.

Ecotourism encompasses many aspects and faces many challenges. It is not only about safeguarding the environment, but employing and informing the locals, as well as educating the tourist. Ecotourism is a softer, more gentle version than the tourism we have come to know. It might not bring in as many people as other forms of tourism, but the true recipients of the benefits of ecotourism are the traveler, the host population, the tourism industry and, of course, the environment.

Many elements are involved when designing an optimal ecotourism strategy. Sustainable development is an important aspect of ecotourism development that involves harvesting our natural resources without depleting or permanently harming them. A niche market must also be determined in order to effectively match people and their interests with the ecotourism attractions at each particular site. However, with the existence of such tourists, each site must, to some degree, restore itself by natural means with or without the assistance of human management. This idea is discussed when looking at the ecological carrying capacity. The final important element of ecotourism development is known as site design, which takes all elements discussed thus far into consideration when designing satisfactory ecotourism facilities with as little ecological impact as possible.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is an emerging doctrine that demands a long-term view of economic activity. The concept has evolved within the past few years and has rapidly become a way of paying for natural conservation and increasing the value of the natural land that is left. Sustainable development not only ensures that consumption of tourism does not exceed the agility of the host destination to prosper, but also provides for the freedom, education and welfare of the host community. It has become common knowledge that it is unethical to save nature at the expense of the local people. The host community should be given the opportunity to act as partner in the sustainable development of its land, not as enemy of it.

Niche Market

When planning, implementing and marketing an ecotourism destination, it is important to look at the demographics and psychographics of the target market, so that the programs can be effectively matched with the people who enjoy such activities. Looking et the demographics of the tourists who most frequently participate in ecotourism is an important first step when designing a program.

Carrying Capacities

Carrying capacity can be defined in several different ways. Ecologists often define it as "the maximal population size of a given species that an area can support without reducing its ability to support the same species in the future. It is a `measure' of the amount of renewable resources in the environment in units of the number of organisms these resources can support." In ecotourism, carrying capacity could be the "measure of what is actually happening to a park's resources or the visitor's experience."

Large-scale tourist developments produce considerable pressures on the environment and on the local population. These include destruction of the traditional landscape; congestion in the transport system; and air, land and water pollution. In dealing with carrying capacities, we need to consider more than just the number of people an area can hold, but also the effect it has on local populations, their infrastructure, and the environment. It's difficult to put limits on every natural area's attendance, but through proper ecotourism ethics, we can regulate the impacts. It is essential we recognize the amount of stress that each environment can handle--then act accordingly to preserve it for future use and enjoyment.

Site Design

The site design of any ecotourism area will include many different elements. These elements have to do with creating ways to prevent any problems with the environment and to keep visitors traveling to a certain ecotourist spot. It requires holistic, ecologically based strategies to create projects that do not alter or injure, but instead help repair and restore existing site systems, such as plans end animal communities, soils and waters.

The basic objective of ecotourism is to help visitors appreciate the natural and cultural uniqueness of a site by bringing them closer to it. In order to achieve this, the site design must be human-scaled and intimate, so that sensory features--such as sights, smells, and sounds--are appreciated and preserved.

Once each of these steps in the process has been developed, the ecotourist experience should be successful. The idea of ecotourism is brilliant; it establishes a way of paying for nature conservation and increasing the value of land left natural. Tourism dollars can flow back into conservation and make it pay for itself. Poverty in many underdeveloped rural areas could be lessened if the effort was made to involve local communities in the process. Knowledge and appreciation of the natural environment, as well as understanding the need for protecting it, is crucial for the future of our planet. Ecotourism is growing in popularity and can become a useful tool for achieving these remarkably important goals.